GM to open an Internet connection to aftermarket

LAS VEGAS — The Specialty Equipment Market Association, or SEMA, consists of member companies that produce and sell parts and components to boost performance on even the meekest machines as well as dress-up accessories to provide the look of sportiness and high performance on what are basically economy cars.

To provide the right parts, components and accessories to customize cars, SEMA members need access to vehicle specifications, which the automakers haven't always supplied.

General Motors says it will work more closely with vehicle customizers through a program called Tek Connect. Beginning this month, three-dimensional math models, drawings and specifications for select GM products will be available to SEMA members via a Web site.

"We're making it easier for SEMA members to develop high-quality, innovative accessories for our vehicles," said John Middlebrook, general manager for brand marketing at GM.

The startup of Tek Connect supports GM's efforts to partner with SEMA members for the development and licensing of accessories.

"Our goal is to make GM vehicles the platform of choice for customization," Middlebrook said, aware that aftermarket performance parts and dress-up accessories is a $25 billion market that GM would like a piece of, as well as the fact that the platform of choice for customization among youth now is the Honda Civic.

Tek-Connect has another goal, saidJon Moss, manager of specialty vehicles for GM.

"By making our specifications available to SEMA members, they'll then be able to make their aftermarket parts to our tolerance levels, which means the parts that go on our vehicles to customize them will have the same quality as those that go into our cars as original equipment."

What's up?: As designated host at this year's SEMA show, GM unveiled 40 customized vehicles. Some hint at vehicles that could become limited-edition models that serve as showroom attention-getters. Others provide a glimpse into possible customizing applications through GM dealerships.

"All vehicles were done in concert with the various GM divisions, their general managers and/or vehicle brand managers, as well as our SPO parts operation," Moss said.

"Will some go on to auto shows? That's up to the divisions. Customized versions of our new Pontiac Vibe [compact coming out in the spring as an '03] will be at the Los Angeles Auto Show for sure," he said.

"SEMA is a trade show, but I'd like to see it open to consumers, the customers who show the interest and enthusiasm in the customized and personalized vehicles we show and who are the ones who eventually will be asked to buy them," Moss said.

"SEMA traditionally had been a show for the Big Three domestics, but four or five years ago we saw the Asian automakers start to nibble and then gain a hold. Honda, for example, took a calculated risk in coming up with performance parts as well as what we call soft parts, such as decorative facias and spoilers, for their Civic. They rolled the dice, brought these items to SEMA, and the gamble paid off," Moss said.

"Honda has capitalized on young people who spend $8,000 to $10,000 on a used car and then another $4,000 or more to customize it. We have 3 million Chevy Cavalier owners out there, some of whom have told us that it's a great car, but we don't offer enough in the way of parts and accessories so they can hop it up to personalize it. We're trying to address that market," Moss said, noting that of the 40 custom GM vehicles on display here, a host of them were customized and personalized Cavaliers.

Cavalier attitudes: A new Cavalier is coming for '04, but what about a package that lets the thousands of current Cavalier owners dress up their machines by purchasing parts through their local Chevy dealer?

Or what if Chevy offered custom niche vehicle versions of Cavalier to spur youth interest before the vehicle is replaced by an all-new model for '04?

A number of Cavalier what-if's were on display at SEMA.

One such idea was the Cavalier 425 Drag, which comes with a turbocharged 2.2-liter 4-cylinder (same as in the Saturn L lineup) that develops 425 horsepower. Not a production model; rather, the intent here is to offer custom accessories, including hood, fenders and decorative plastic fascia and perhaps a turbo, through Chevy dealers.

Then there is the Cavalier 155 Maui with its 155-h.p. rendition of the 2.2-liter 4 and a body coated with jade green reflective glass-bead paint for a wet-shine appearance.

If not the 155 Maui, perhaps the Cavalier 220 Sport Turbo, which GM says is a test bed to determine potential of a 220-h.p. turbo package for Cavalier and future vehicles with the Saturn 2.2-liter 4-cylinder. Lots of sporty and decorative body cladding, Ram Air hood scoops and deck-lid spoiler plus an exterior paint coating featuring crushed glass and silver aluminum flakes for a wet look that reflects light.